Between office parties, family dinners and get-togethers with friends, the holidays bring endless opportunities to undo all of our hard work at the gym. We love these healthy holiday treats that let you feel like you're indulging, but without any of the guilt!
Strawberry Santas
These are almost too cute to eat! You have several options for fillings - try light whipped cream, cheesecake, or greek yogurt depending on your taste and texture preferences! Decorate with light whipped cream, chocolate chips, currants or raisins.
While whipped cream will keep the calories down, we also love this indulgent cheesecake version from LauraFuentes.com!
Lightened-Up Apple Crumble
Apple pie is a fall and winter dessert staple. This version eliminates the crust and contains very little added sugar - sparing quite a bit of fat and extra calories from hitting your waistline! Simply combine 3 sliced and cored baking apples with 1 tsp of cinnamon and 2 tsp each of sugar and flour, placing in a 9-inch baking pan. For the topping, mix 3/4 cup of old fashioned oats with 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp pure maple syrup and 1 1/2 tsp melted butter. Spread topping evenly over apples and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, or until apples are soft and the topping is a golden brown.
Frozen Chocolate Bananas
This treat couldn't be simpler to make! Slice a peeled banana into two equal halfs and freeze. Once solid, dip into melted dark chocolate and sprinke with chopped nuts, coconut or granola. Return the bananas to the freezer until the chocolate is set - and voila! A tasty, indulgent treat that packs plenty of potassium and fiber, not to mention taste.
Chocolate Coconut Bites
In a bowl, mix 2 cups of shredded coconut (try pulsing in a food processor first to get a flour-like texture), 4 tbsp honey, 5 tbsp coconut oil, and 1 tsp of vanilla. Form the mixture into balls and dip in melted chocolate. While these are delicious on their own, you could also get fancy and top with sprinkles or nuts. Transfer to the freezer until the chocolate has set.